Orientator



W.' G. HUGGLES.

ORIENTATOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, I917.

PatentedJune 8,

2 SHEETSSHEET l- W. G. RUGGLES.

ORIENTATOR.

. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I917. 1,342,871. Patented June 8, 1920.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- R m l .30 manifest themselves when the person is in an unusual position as'on a high building UNITED STATES WILLIAM GUY RUGGLES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' ORIENTATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920;

Application filed April 16, 1917. Serial No. 162,589.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GUY RUG- eLns,a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the .county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orientators, of which the followin is a specification.

i y invention relates in general to a device for supporting and changing, at will, the position of a person in space and specifically relates to a device for training those natural faculties which indicate to the mind that a persons head is rising or falling and which indicates that the persons head is angularly disposed relative to a normal vertical position.

It is well known that there exists in the car an organ, identified as semi-circular canals which, when normally developed, contains floating bodies, which affect certain nerves to indicate change of position when a persons head is moved from its normal upright position v I It has been desirable in the medical profession for some time to develop this sense of position, for it has been noted that where these faculties are highly developed, there is a noticeable absence of'vertigo, dizziness, and other conditions, wh1ch particularly looking -down toward the ground.

I With the recent development of the aeroplaning art, it has been found necessary to the successful operation of these machines, that the aviator have his position faculties rather highly developed. In this connection. there has been developed an apparatus for teaching the art of aeroplaning, including a seat which can be tilted into a limited angle, but this device -isinoperative as it does not, permit the aviator to accustom himself to all of the various angles into which an aeroplane may be moved.

Accordingly, the primary object of my invention is to provide a simple form of device for developing and training the A functions of the semi-circular canals. and

incidentally to provide such a machine for training aviators to accustom themselves to any possible position in which they may be moved by the action of an aeroplane while tient or aviator and mounting this support, so as to have universal articulation into any position relative to a fixed point of reference.

A further refinement of the invention is to provide two control stations, one operable by the patient or aviator under training and the other operated by an instructor, each station operatively connected to the support so as to move the support into each of the three dimensional planes and to vary at will the angular position of the support relative to the normal upright position.

A further refinement of the invention relates to an instrumentality for efiecting a rising or falling movement of the support along the vertical line, or, in other words to move the relatively fixed point of articulation, so as to accustom the patient or aviator to the rising or falling effect produced by such a movement of his support.

. For the purpose of accustoming the patient or aviator to a rarefied atmospheric condition, such as is present in the higher atmosphere, the part of the device including the support is preferably designed to be inclosed within a casing .operatively connected to some suitable pressure reducing means, designed to maintain a reduced and variable pressure condition about the patient or operator in the support.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a preferred embodiment of my invention with an inclosin'g casing therefor shown diagrammatical and with the seat perpendicular;

.Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views of the chair and its supporting ring, Fig. 2-showing the dipping ring at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the chair supporting ring turned to the left 459, Fig. 3 showing the chair inverted and the supporting ring therefor ti'irr'ied to the left through 210 'frorn -the position shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. a diagrammatic view of the ioa several parts together with their electrical connections.

In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience of expression but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

In the drawings there is shown a supporting platform 10 upon which is mounted an inclosing casing indicated diagrammatically by the upstanding Walls 11 which casing is adapted to contain air at a pressure reduced,

from the external air pressure which reduction is effected by any suitable pressure reducing mechanism such as an air ump indicated diagrammatically at 12. ithin the casing is the machine proper which includes a pair of upstanding columns 13, 14, tied together adjacent their upper ends by a girder 15. A rectangular gimbal ring carriage 16 is-slidably mounted upon and positioned between the columns 13 and 14 and arranged to be guided between said columns in its vertical movements. 1

The carriage is supported and-moved vertically by means of a hoisting arrangement including a pair of flexible cables 17 attached to opposite sides of the carriage and passed over pulleys 18 and 19 at the girder and both wound on a drum 20, forming part of a driving and brake mechanism supported from the platform 10 and constituting part of the carriage hoisting arrangement. This drum is of conventional form and is shown to be actuated from a motor 21 through multiplying gearing 22. Mounted within and ring 23 by means of bearings 27 and 28 which permit a movement of the dipping ring about a horizontal axis intersecting the i axis ofmovement of the azimuth ring. The

inner ring 29 supports a chair 30 fixed thereto by means of clamps 31. The inner ring is mounted above and below the chair in bearings '32. and 33 which permit a movement of the inner ring'about an axis interframe.

secting the axis of movement of the; dipping It is apparent from the 'organization of gimbal rings that the ring 23 can swing about a vertical axis, the ring 26 can swing about a horizontal axis and the ring 29 can swing about its axis in whatever plane adjacent his seat.

it may be positioned by the single or com bined movement of the other rings. The rings are controlled by reversible electric motors operatively connected to their respective rings so as to turn the same in either direction and over any desired angle of movement more or less than 360 as desired. A motor drive 34 controls the azimuth ring 23. A motor drive 35 controls the dipping ring 26 and a motor drive 36 con trols the'chair ring 29.

As these-motor drives are all similar in construction, a detailed description of any one will be suflicient for all. The drive includes an electric motor 37 fixed to the armature shaft 38 on which is a worm 39 con-- stantly meshing with a ear 40 which actsto form a shaft upon which'is fixed a small gear wheel 41, meshing with a relatively large spur gear 42 fixed to a shaft 43 in turn fixed to the ring controlled by the articular motor drive, thus described. his gear connection is so designed that a small.

motor may be utilized and so connected to its controlling ring that the ring may be moved rapidly and quickly from one position to another.

The motors are electrically connected so as tobe controlled by two stations, one accessible to the person occupying the seat 30, hereinafter identified as the machine station and the other accessible tothe person occupying a seat 44, hereinafter identified as the instructors'seat and which is preferably positioned outside of the casing containing seat and its operatin parts.-

Where the device 1s particularlyintended 'for thepurpose of training aviators it is desirable that these control stations be designed to follow, as far as possible, the conventional steering and control mechanism I found on the type of machine which the aviator is training to operate. For this purpose the device illustrated is shown provided with steering wheels 45 and foot controls 46 and the several motors illustrated are connected .to these steering wheels and foot pedals, so

that the corresponding movement of the areoplane will be simulated when this control mechanism is actuated and will cause a similar sensation should the person occupying the seat 30 be actually in a machine of the character controlled by the mechanism The motor drive'34 is wired to the two stations to control the compass direction horizontally 'which control-is eflected means of theswitch 47 at the instructors .station and by means of the switch 48 at the machine station. The motor drive 35 controlling the dipping motion is-similarly controlled by means of the switch 49 at theinstructors station and by means of the switch 50 at the machine station. The motor 36 for causing an angular movement of the switch 51 at the instructors station and by means of the switch. 52 at the machine station.

Electric current to actuate the several motors is supplied from; a suitable source indicated diagrammatically at 53 and leads by means of main conductors 54 and 55 to the swivel'switches 47, 49 and 51 at the instructors station, which are-arranged in parallelism across the main conductors. The switches each include a relatively stationary member diagrammatically shown in Fig. 4, as a ring 56 and a relatively movable member, shown as a revolving disk 57 journaled to turn within the ring.

. In order to prevent the machine station from actuating the several rings in opposition to the control of the rings from the instructors station, the current from the source-53 is led through circuit breakers.

58, 59 and 60 indicated in dotted lines on the switches 51, 49 and 47, respectively, which are so arranged that when the 'movable element 57 of the switches is rotated into any position from its normal position the circuit which leads to the corresponding machine switches 48, 50 and 52 is'intercepted so that the machine station cannot control the motors so long as the motors are under active control of the operators station. The

motor 34 is connected with the source 53 through the circuit breakers 58, 59 and 60,

conductors 61, machine main conductors 62 to the switch 48. opposite sides of each switch to opposite sides of each motor controlled thereby as will be more particularly noted from the diagrammatic arrangement of the conductors shownin Fig. 4.

For the purpose of controlling the rise and fall of the gimbal ring carriage, the instructors station is provided with an additional switch 64 arranged to actuate the motor in either of its directions and thus control the rise and fall of the gimbal ring carriage. I

The conductors connecting the two stations and connecting the several ring controlling motorswith the source are assembled in a cable65. The several conductors from the cable are led to the rings through communicator 66 constitutingpart of the several journals 24, 27 and 33. v

ring, either by the instructor or by the per- Conductors 63 lead fromson occupying the chair, the chair and person occupying the same is tilted or revolved about the respective axis of the gimbal ring construction, so as to take any position or move through any desired angle and through any desired direction of movement.

t is possible by means of a device of this character, for the instructor to move the chair and person occupying the same into any desired position and then leave it to the person in the chair to rectify this position and move himself back into an desired or into the normal position which e would take when in flight.v It is apparent that by means of a device of this character all possible movements of an aeroplane may be simulated and the occupant moved into an possible position relative to a point of re erence. I

It is also possible to vary this point of reference vertically, so that a falling or rising effect may be produced simultaneously with a revolving into any desired angle or over an desired path within the limits of the mac ine.

Due to the worm drive connection it is possible not only to rotate the rings over an angle up to 360 but this angular movement may be repeated'continuously and a spinning action produced about any of the axis of movement.

It is apparent that the repeated use of a machine of this character will stimulate the semi-circular canals to a higher degree than is now possible with actual aeroplanes practising, because the occupant of this machine may be moved into unusual angular positions and may be moved more rapidly A further refinement of the method of.

treating or training by the use of this machine is to blindfold the patient or aviator so that the sense of direction may be sensitized without the assistance of the visual senses. In this way the aviator when in a fog 'or intense darkness may be instinctively conscious of his position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

'1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support for a person, an organization of pivotal means for mounting said support so as to have universal articulation in three planes at right angles to each other about a relatively fixed point of reference and so as to permit'the positioning of said support in any plane passing through said' fixed point and mechanism acting on said organization for moving said supporting means into any desired person against falling from the support when inverted, means for mounting said support so that it may have universal articulation about any three axes intersecting at right angles and selectively controlled means for varying at will the movement of said support about any one or a combina tion of said axes and for securing the support in any preselected position in space relative to the point of intersection of said three axes.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a relatively fixed support, a seat pivotally connected thereto and adapted to be inverted from its normal position, electrically actuated means for moving said seat from its normal position into an inverted position and means operable from said seat to restore the seat to a position' different from said inverted position.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support for a person, a pivotal mounting for said support, means acting on saidsupport for moving the head of the person over a circular path of movement and about an axis of reference and power means operatively associated with the support for imposing another movement on the same thereby .to vary the position in space of said axis of reference.

5. A device for training a persons equilibrium functions, said device including means for supporting the person to be trained, said means being mounted for universal articulation in all planes passing through a relatively fixed point of reference to dispose the supported person in all positions from an upright to an inverted position and selectively controlled means operatively connected for varying at will the position of said supporting means.

6. A device for training a persons equilibrium functions, said device including a plurality of pivotal means constituting a universal o1nt suspension adapted to provlde a support for a person, said means being mounted for universal articulation through all angles up to 360, and means acting on said pivotal means for rotating at will any combination of said means to move the person through any plane passing through the point constituting the center ofsaid universal joint suspension.

7. A device for training a persons equilibrium functions, said device including a gimbal ring construction with'three concentric rings pivoted one to the other in order for suspendin a person in space and selectively controlle mechanisms connected to each of said three rings for moving the person while in. an inverted or substantially inverted position through :any plane or combination of planes passing through the axis of said gimbal ring construction.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a seat having a normal position, a pivotal mounting for said seat, a driving means operatively connected to said mounting to vrotate the seat over any angle up to 360 and into an abnormal position in any one of a plurality of intersecting planes, and means accessible from the seat for restoring said seat into'a position adj acent its normal position.

9, In a device of the class described, the combination with a seat having a normal position and means controlled from a point remote from said seatfor moving the same into an abnormal position in any one of a plurality of planes disposed at rlght angles to each other and a part of said means including a control therefor accessible from a position adjacent said seat for moving the same into .a position different from said abnormal position. v

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a seat and means for supporting the seat so as to provide universal articulation therefor, said means including a gimbal ring construction, with each ring thereof free to rotate over an'angle of 360; means forrotating each of the rings through any angular movement and two sets ofcontrol mechanisms, each set operatlvely adapted to control the movement of each ring.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support for a person, an organization of pivotal means for mounting said support, so as tohave universal articulation about a relatively fixed point of reference, mechanism for moving said supporting means into any position about said point of reference, and two sets of control mechanisms, onevof which is spaced from the device and the other of which is carried by the device, each set connected to said seat movin mechanism to effect a movement there or and thus control the position of said supporting means.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination withmeans for supporting a person, means for mounting said supporting means so as to have universal articulation, said supportingmeans including a gimbal ring construction including three rings and means for rotating at will any of the rings of said gimbal ring construction over any'angle u to 360.

13. In a device o the class described, the combination of three concentrically disposed rings with each inner ring pivotally mounted to its next adjacent outer ring, and the outermost ring pivotally mounted, power means connected to .the innermost ring to revolve the same and a control operatively connected to said power means to cause the same to function.

;14. A device for training a persons the other ring and in turn constituting ameans for supporting said seat so as to have universal articulation, a source of power operatlvely connected to each of the mugs and a control for saidsources of power movable with one of the rings to vary the position of the same at will.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a seat, a gimbal ring construction for supporting said seat so as to have universal articulation, motors operatively connected to each of the rings to vary the position of the same at will and two control stations, each operatively connected to control the position-of each of the rings and means for disconnecting one of the stations while the other station is in active control of any one of the rings.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination of a ring pivotally mounted to revolve about an axis, means acting on the ring for shifting said axis, a seat supported from said ring, an electric motor for revolving said ring about its axis in allposltions of the same and a circuit controlling switch for said motor carried by said ring.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination of aseat for supporting a person in space, three sources of power, means coupling each of said sources of power to the seat to cause each source of power to rotate the seat in a plane at right angles to the planes in which it is rotated by each of the other sources -of power and a control for selectively causing one or more sources of power to function.

19. In a device of the class described,

the combination of a pivotal frame, a seat supported from said frame, an electric motor for revolving said frame, two

separated controls for said electric motor and means for disconnecting one of said motor controls while the other is in circuit closin position to control the motor.

20. n a device of the class described, the combination of a support fora person, means forpreventing bodily movement of said support in any horizontal direction while permitting a movement of said support along a vertical line, pivotal means for mounting said support to provide for movement thereof into any desired position about a point 1n said vertical l1ne, and means acting on said support for rotating the same into any desired position about said point.

21. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support for a person, means for preventing bodily movement of said support in any horizontal direction while permitting a movement of said support along a vertical line, means for mounting said support to provide for movement thereof into any desired position about a point in said vertical line, means acting on said support for rotatin the same into any desired position about said point, and means acting on said support for moving the same vertically.

22. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support for a person, means for preventing bodily movement of said support in any horizontal direction while permitting a movement of said support along a vertical line, means for mounting said support to provide for movement thereof into any desired position about a point in said vertical line, means acting on said support for rotating the same into any desired position about said point, means acting on said support for moving the same vertically, and a control for said last namedcombination of a support for a person,

means for preventing bodily movement of said support, in any horizontal direction while permitting a movement of said support above a vertical line, means for mounting said support to provide for movement thereof into any desired position about a point in said vertical line, means acting on said support for rotating the same into any desired position about said point, means acting on said support for moving the same vertically, and a control station provided with controlling mechanism for moving the support vertically and for rotating the same.

24. In a device of the class described,the combination of a support for a person, means for preventing bodily movement of said support in any horizontal direction while permitting a movement of said support along a vertical line, means for mounting said support to provide for movement thereof into any desired position about a point in said vertical line, means acting on I said support for rotating the same into any desired position about said point, a control port and provided with mechanism for ro-' tating with said support.

25. In a device of the class described, the combination of a gimbal ring construction a seat supported from the inner ring of sai construction, a carriage for supporting said gimbal ring and a plurality of motors, each controlling at will any ohe or more of said ring provided with.one of said motors and said carriage provided with a motor to move the same and a control station for selectively motors.

26. In a device of the class described, the combination of a gimbal ring construction including three concentric rings with each inner ring pivoted to the next adjacent outer ring and with the outermost ring pivotally mounted, a seat supported from the inner ring of said construction, a carriage for supporting said gimbal ring construction, a plurality of motors, each ring provided. with one of said motors, a control station movable with the seat for selectively controlling at will any one or more of said motors,-and means independent of said control for intercepting the circuit to said motors.

27. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a gimbal ring construction,-

a seat supported from the inner ring of said construction, a plurality of motors, each ring provided wlth one of said motors, a plurality of control stations, one carried by the seat and the other fixed in position and each provided with a switch for each of said motors. j .28. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a, gimbal ring construction a seat supported from the inner ring of said construction, a carriage for supporting said gimbal ring construction, a plurality of motors, each ring provided with one of said motors and said carriage provided with a motor to move the same, a plurality of control stations, one of said stations provided with a switch for each of said motors and the other station provided Q with a switch for the ring controlling motors andmeans at one of the stations for ing the seat into' all possible positions inwhich the aviators seat in an aeroplane may be positioned while in flight, an inclosing casing therefor, means including pressure reducing means for reducing 'the air presf semi-circular canal system which indicates -to a person a correct conception of-his posisure in said casing thereby to simulate the effect produced on an aviator while traveling in an aeroplane at high-altitude and while in the different positions in space.

v51. A device for training the coordination of those natural faculties which indicate to a persons mind his appreciation of his position'while inverted in space with the proper muscular effort to control mechanism to effect a change in his position, the combination of means'for supporting the person fixed against movement relative to a point of reference, power means operatively connected tosaid supporting means for moving the supported person in any desired direction about said point to andfrom an abnormal position beyond a tilted position and a control for said power means accessible to the person while in the inverted position. 32. In a training device, means for supporting a person while moving in space,

'power means operatively connected to said supporting means for spinning a part of the person in space and in a circle about. a point of reference and control means accessible to the supported person operatively connected to said supporting means for selectively defining the path of movement of'the person while spinning.

33. In a training device for resisting the tendency of 'a person to become dizzy when subjected to a rotary movement in space,

the combination of rotatably mounted means for supporting the person, power means for spinning the supported person and a control for re lating the spinning movement.

34. n a training device for resisting the tendency of a person to become dizzy when subjected to a rotary movement in space, the

combination of rotatably mounted means for supporting the person, power means for spinning the supported person over a closed circuit which is disposed in more than one plane and a control accessible to the supported person for regulating the spinning movement.

35. In the art -'of-trai-ning those i'nvoluntarymatural faculties which are responsive to nerve impulses from that part. of the tion in space, when his head is in an inverted position, in distinction from the similar space senses active when the person is in a normal upright or. horizontal position, the process which includes thev step of intentionally causing the person-to movebodily and repeatedly into a substantially inverted position while being heldin uniform spaced relation to a fixed point and causing theperson, when so inverted, to express by an overt and voluntary act some evidence of his appreciation of his abnormal position.

36. In the art of training l'thosenatu'ral faculties which indicate to a persons mind 130 that his head is rising or falling and which indicate that the persons head is inverted or substantially inverted relative to the normal vertical upright position, the process which consists in moving the person from the normal, upright position into difierent abnormal positions beyond a tilted position with a controlled speed substantially free of gravitational, centrifugal and other forces which may tend to affect the desired controlled movement of the person in space.

37. In the art of training those natural faculties which indicate to a persons mind that his head is rising or falling and which indicate that the persons head is angularly disposed or inverted relative to a normal vertical upright position, the process which consists in moving the person from the normal, upright position into different abnormal positions beyond a tilted position and along a definite, preselected path and causing the person when so positioned to express by an overt act his identification of his abnormal position.

38. In the art of training a person to coordinate the mental instinct to assume a normal upright position when in an abnormal inverted or substantially inverted position, with a muscular effort to actuate control mechanism to restore the person to a normal upright position, the process which consists Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 11th day of April, A. 1)., 1917.

WILLIAM GUY RUGGLES. 

